It's a Bird seeks fourth straight win on Florida Million Day

It's a Bird seeks fourth straight win on Florida Million

Day

Six of the eight runners entered for Saturday's $200,000

Carl G. Rose Classic H. at Calder will be exiting the October 18 Spend a Buck H.

(G3), and everyone in the field will be gunning for that race's scorer, IT'S A

BIRD (Birdonthewire), on Florida Million Day. The Carl Rose is the headline

event among the eight stakes on the Florida Million card, which offers $1.2

million in stakes purses to Florida-breds.

It's a Bird will enter the 1 1/8-mile Carl Rose with three straight wins, all

of which came after the five-year-old was transferred to trainer Marty Wolfson's

shedrow. Capturing an allowance/optional claimer in late August, the dark bay

added a five-length, front-running score in the Plagiarize S. to his line prior

to his Spend a Buck victory. It's a Bird, who is cross-entered to the $150,000

Bonnie Heath Turf Cup H. earlier on the card, will concede one to eight

pounds to his rivals as the 120-pound top weight in the Carl Rose. He'll keep

Jermaine Bridgmohan, aboard for his past three, in the irons.

Of the runners in the Carl Rose, DREAM MAESTRO (Concerto) was closest to It's

a Bird in the Spend a Buck. The three-year-old chestnut finished just three

parts of a length back in third of his adversary after rallying late down the

stretch in that 1 1/16-mile test. He could use the extra distance of the Carl

Rose to finally earn that elusive first stakes victory. Others in the field with

a chance to upend It's a Bird include Grade 3 winner ACTIN GOOD (Yes It's True),

a nice fourth in the Meadowlands Cup (G2) last out, and Puck S. hero ATLANTIC

PAWS (Cat Thief).

While Marty Wolfson has the likely favorite for the Carl Rose, his brother

Milton Wolfson will be saddling the probable choice in the $200,000

Elmer Heubeck Distaff H. one race earlier. ANNABILL (Outflanker), winner of

last year's edition of the 1 1/16-mile Heubeck by a half-length, had a four-race

win streak broken when third in the Capital Request S. two back on the turf. She

returned to finish second in the Hollywood S. in her most recent race, and will

have to tote the top weight of 121 pounds under regular rider Javier Santiago

against seven rivals.

Among those looking to dethrone Annabill in the Heubeck is PEACH FLAMBE

(Flying Chevron), who ran just three lengths back in third in last year's

edition. That was the Mark Hennig charge's final start of 2007, and the chestnut

mare has returned this year to capture the Cicada S. and place in both the

Sunshine Millions Distaff S. and Love Sign S. AMAZING (Greatness) will also be

looking to make her mark on this race following a pair of front-running scores

over the track.

It's a Bird will have to face nine rivals if his connections decide to run

him in the Bonnie Heath Turf Cup, which begins the Florida Million stakes

action. The nine-furlong turf test has drawn a tough field, including Grade

2-winning veterans SILVER TREE (Hennessy) and ICY ATLANTIC (Stormy Atlantic).

The former runner added the Oceanport S. (G3) to his already stakes-packed line

in early August, while Icy Atlantic just missed by three parts of a length in

the Red Bank S. (G3) two back. Also of note in the field is Miami Mile H. (G3)

hero SOLDIER'S DANCER (Lost Soldier), who is looking to keep his current

two-race win skein going.

YESBYJIMMINY (Yes It's True) will also be attempting to stay on the winning

track on Florida Million Day. The Ed Plesa Jr. trainee is one of eight who will

line up in the $150,000

Jack Dudley Sprint H. going six furlongs. His recent trips to the winner's

circle include the Whippleton S. and Major Moran S. Also entered in the race are

RUBY'S RED SOCKS (Reparations), a 8 1/4-length winner of a starter allowance

last out, and LIKE NOW (Jules), a recent 4 3/4-length allowance/optional

claiming victor.

Juveniles will take center stage in four of the stakes on Florida Million

Day. THREE PART HARMONY (Concerto), an eight-length maiden winner and runner-up

in both the In Reality and Affirmed divisions of the Florida Stallion S., heads

a field of eight in the $150,000

Jack Price Juvenile S. going seven furlongs. Two races later, undefeated

stakes heroine FROLIC'S DREAM (Smoke Glacken) tops a cast of seven two-year-old

fillies in the $150,000

Joe O'Farrell Juvenile Fillies S. at the same distance. Juvenile turf

runners will get their turn in the $100,000

Arthur I. Appleton Juvenile Turf S., sending a group of eight 1 1/16 miles,

and the $100,000

John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf, which drew a field of 13, including one

also-eligible, to go 8 1/2 furlongs.